Massage table with rollers



United States Patent William B. Wilson 3245 Fairlawn Drive, Glenview, Illinois 60025 Jan. 18, 1968 Aug. 1 l, 1970 lnventor Appl. No. Filed Patented MASSAGE TABLE WITH ROLLERS 6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl. 128/58 Int. Cl A6lh 15/00 Field of Search 128/243, 24.4, 57, 58, 50-52 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,375,652 4/1921 Carlotti 128/52 2,395,040 2/l 946 Curtis 128/58 Primary Examiner- L. W. Trapp Attorney- Richard W. Carpenter ABSTRACT: A spinal massaging device comprising a table having an opening for massaging roller means including massaging rollers carried by a conveyor, means to drive the conveyor, track means for guiding the path of travel of the rollers, and means for adjusting the contour of the track means to make it conform to that of a particular human spine.

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Patented Aug. 11, 1970 Sheet .2 .0 Ba FIG. 4

INVENTOR. WIHIcJm B. W||son Attorney Patented Aug. 11, 1970 3,523,524

H67 William Y WiQOn AHOYUQV MASSAGE TABLE WITH ROLLERS This invention relates to therapeutic devices and more particularly to a spinal massaging table arrangement where the pattern of travel of massaging rollers can be readily adjusted to conform to any particular spinal contour.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the type described, a track having a pair of rails for guiding the path of travel of massaging roller means mounted to a frame so that the elevation of various sections of the rails can be readily adjusted to provide a predetermined path of travel.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from an examination of the following description and drawings, wherein:

FIGURE l is a persepective view of a massaging device embodying features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE l, with portions of the drawing being schematic;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a portion of the device of FIGURE 1, with portions of the structure broken away;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on line 4- 4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a transverse section taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

It will be understood that, for purposes of clarification, certain elements have been omitted from certain views where they are illustrated to better advantage in other views.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention, and particularly to FIGURES l and 4, it will be seen that the massaging device shown includes a horizontally disposed, generally flat plate or table 10 which may be covered with a resilient pad or cushion I2, preferably formed of foam rubber. Both the table and cushion are provided with aligned, elongated openings 13 and Ba, respectively, for receiving the massaging rollers in a manner hereinafter described.

Table 10 may be mounted over supporting structure which includes inner longitudinal and transverse braces or struts 16 and outer side and end members 18 carried on legs I9.

As desired the device may be in the form ofa conventional table or in the form of a bed, as illustrated. If the device is in the form of a bed, it, can serve a dual purpose. A cushion insert, not shown, may be placed in aligned openings 13 and 13a to provide a smooth upper surface when the massaging apparatus is not being used.

Mounted on the table supporting structure under table 10 is a frame 20 for carrying the operating mechanism 24 of the device.

Frame 20 may be mounted, as by bolts 22, to the cross braces 16 of the supporting structure.

Massaging mechanism 24 includes a pair of transversely ex tending front and rear sprocket shafts 26 mounted in the frame and carrying a pair of front and rear main sprockets 28 around which extends an endless conveyor chain 30. It will be understood, of course, that pulleys and belts may be substituted for the sprockets and chain if desired.

Also mounted on rear sprocket shaft 26 is a driving sprocket 34 which is operatively connected by another chain 32 to a driving sprocket 36 mounted on the shaft 37 ofa motor 38.

Attached to conveyor chain at spaced intervals by pins 41 are a plurality of yokes or clevices each of which carry a roller shaft 42 on which is rotatably carried a cushioned massaging roller 44.

As the rollers 44 and shafts 42 have to rotate freely in opposite directions, as hereinafter described, it will be understood that double sets of bearings are employed (not shown in detail) in mounting the rollers on the shafts and the shafts on the clevices.

The ends 46 of shafts 42 extend beyond the sides of the clevices and may be provided with auxiliary rollers 47 which ride over a pair of rails 48 of a truck so as to serve as a guide means controlling the path of the massaging rollers as hereinafter described. It will be understood that the distance from the chain to the rail is less than the length of the clevices, so that rollers have freedom for limited vertical movement in following the contour of the rails. In order to prevent the rollers from flopping down when they leave the main rails at the trailing ends thereof. auxiliary return rails 49 may be provided and secured to the frame in a fixed position.

Now turning to FIGURE 3 it will be seen that the rails have the general contour ofa human spinal column so that the maximum therapeutic effect is achieved. It will be understood, of course, that the contours of all human spinal columns are not the same, and therefore a fixed position of the guide rails would not effect the desired result because pressure from the massaging rollers would not provide uniform pressure on spines of different contours if their path remains of the same contour at all times.

Herein resides the essence of this invention which is to provide a simple means of changing the elevations of different areas of the rails to thereby change the contour of the rails to provide a path of travel for the rollers of a particularly desired contour conforming to that of the spine of the person undergoing massage treatment.

In order to provide this adjusting means the rails are each secured to frame 20 by a plurality of longitudinally spaced, parallel, vertical supporting and adjusting rods 50. Each of the rods 50 has its upper end 52 movably mounted in a bracket 54 carried on the underside ofa rail, as shown in FIGURE 5, and has a portion 56 adjacent its lower end threadably connected to a collar 58 which in turn is rotatably mounted in a horizontal portion of frame 20. so that rotation of collar 58 will raise or lower that portion of the rail to which the upper end of the rod is connected.

Collar 58 is in the form of a wheel or spur having gear teeth 60 which engage teeth of a worm gear 62 carried on a trans versely extending. horizontal control shaft 64 one end of which is mounted in a plate or bar 66 secured to a side member 18 of the supporting structure. as best seen in FIGURES 4 and 7.

At its outer end each bar 66 may be provided with a fitting 67 adapted to removably receive a crank handle 68.

In operating the rail adjusting mechanism a previously made pattern of the spine of the user or patient may be placed alongside the rails while the crank is used to elevate or lower portions of the rails, which move in tandem with each other, as shown in FIGURE 7, to make the rail contour conform to the pattern.

After the rails have been adjusted the patient can lie on the table with his spinal column located over openings I3 and 13a and receive a therap utic massage wherein the pressure applied by the massaging rollers is uniform throughout the entire length of his spine because the path of travel of the rollers conforms to the contour of his spinal column. Of course the rollers may be changed, as desired, to provide the desired degree of hardness or softness of the pressure of the massage treatment.

Also, conventional means may be provided to control the speed of the conveyor chain and the duration of time. A control mechanism 70 may be conveniently mounted on a side member 18 of the supporting structure.

I claim:

I. A spinal massaging device, comprising, in combination;

(a) a table having an opening therein for receiving mas saging roller means;

(b) a frame mounted under said table;

(c) massaging roller means carried by said frame, includ- (i) a plurality of roller elements attached at spaced in along a path ofa predetermined vertical contour which includes at least one rail mounted on said frame and engageable with said roller elements;

(e) means for mounting said rail so that the elevations of spaced sections of the rail can be readily changed to control the vertical contour of the rail so that the path of travel of said roller elements conforms to a specific spinal contour.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein said mounting means includes a plurality of vertical rods having upper portions connected to the rail and having lower portions mounted in said frame for vertical movement relative thereto.

3. A device according to Claim 2, wherein said rod lower portions are each threadably received within a collar which is rotatably mounted in the frame and which has external gear teeth engageable with a worm gear carried by a horizontally disposed crankshaft.

4. A device according to Claim 1, wherein said guide means includes a pair of parallel rails the contour of which can be readily adjusted at the same time.

5. A device according to Claim 1, wherein said roller elements each includes:

(i) a shaft;

(ii) a cushion roller rotatably mounted centrally on said shaft for massaging a patient on said table;

(iii) a pair of guide rollers rotatably mounted at opposite ends of said shaft for engagement with said guide means.

6 A device according to Claim 1, wherein said guide means includes a track for said roller elements, and said guide means includes means for raising and lowering spaced portions of said track to change its contour. 

